This invention relates generally to an apparatus used to clean an aqueous solution of unwanted particulate and more particularity relates to a magnetic separator apparatus used to clean an aqueous solution of unwanted magnetic particulate by using a conveyor chain with polypropylene bars having an unique configuration of barium ceramic magnets incorporated therein. This magnetic separator apparatus may be continuously run through the "dirty" solution. In particular, such an aqueous solution is used to clean car and truck bodies and other component parts prior to being immersed into zinc phosphate and zinc chromate baths used to coat the surfaces of these parts and assemblies.
There are many common methods and means used in the prior art to clean aqueous solutions of unwanted particulate. One traditional method is the insertion of magnetic rods directly into the aqueous solution. This type of cleansing system, however, is flawed because of the necessity to frequently manually remove the rods with accumulated metal particulate deposits. These rods must then be cleansed of unwanted particulate and then inserted back into the aqueous solution. As can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, this method of cleaning is time-consuming and labor-intensive. It will be understood that another flaw found in this prior art methodology is that the effectiveness of the magnets used to remove dirt and the like from the solution is greatly diminished as magnetic dirt deposits accumulate on the rods.
Another type of system known in the art that is used to cleanse aqueous solutions of unwanted particulate is the passage of a stainless steel conveyor belt impregnated with magnets through the solution. This type of cleaning system, however, does not adequately and efficiently clean the aqueous solution of all unwanted particulate. This cleaning process is not efficient because the effectiveness of the magnets is drastically reduced by the total encasement of the magnets in the stainless steel conveyor belt. Thus, this type of design reduces the strength of the magnetic fields emanating from the magnets.
Accordingly, these limitations and disadvantages of the prior art are overcome with the present invention, and improved means and techniques are provided which are useful for cleaning an aqueous solution of unwanted magnetic particulate.